Why is it no one will make this AAA light?

I can't understand why no manufacturer has embraced the AAA platform and made a true EDC pocket light?

Sure, there is the ARC AAA, and its a great form factor with an excellent HA-III finish. But why be stuck with just ~ 10 lumens?

Yes, there are AAA lights with Crees and Rebels in them that can burn your eyes out for a whole 10 minutes, but none of them have any decent low of ~3 lumens?.

Is it too hard to ask to get a production AAA light in an Arc AAA or Fenix E0 sized form factor with a high quality HA-III finish that has two and only two modes?! High = 30 lumens and low = 3 lumens.

Can I be the only one that wants to buy something like this? I think I've only been asking for it for like 18 months. The only thing that comes close is the Fenix LOP-SE and they don't even make it anymore. With a Rebel or a Cree, we should be seeing a light that runs for an hour on high and ten on low.

Look into the liteflux LF2. It's a fully programmable two-stage light that can go as low as a fraction of a lumen on the lowest level if you so desire. The interface is a bit complicated if you wish to use every feature (strobes, SOS, voltmeter), but once it's programmed, it's actually very elegant as a two-stage. Head tightened for OFF (can't be "pressed on" inadvertently), loosened 1/4 turn for stage1, 1/2 turn for stage2. No visible flickering due to 8000Hz PWM, vs 100 for most AAA sized lights.

If you want even higher output, the light is designed to run 10440s fully regulated, with low-battery warning, and low-voltage protection.

The biggest drawback is that the light is on the long side for a AAA light, slightly longer than the lights you mentioned. Also, the Cree version (better beam pattern IMO, SSC is all flood) is still shipping P4s (though the head is removable, and it is possible to upgrade to a Q5 yourself if you're skilled with modding), and it's a bit long for a AAA light as the two-stage switch mechanism takes up a good bit of space. There is an SSC version, but it is almost completely a flood light, IMO the LF2-Cree beam pattern is better.

The Streamlight Task-Light 1AA does it for me. I am not sure about the exact lumens but on high it will run over 6 hours and so long on low that I will never know.

The LOD Q4 will run at 11.5 lumens for 8.5 hours on NiMH, probably close to 10 on e2 lithiums.

The Liteflux LF2 seems to be the light you are looking for. Program it to have a good high and a low low and it come pretty close to the light you were describing.

+1 on the Fenix LOD. It is just what you are wanting...

I would love for Fenix to come out with an E0 replacement. Maybe same metal and finish as the new T1 series for serious toughness? An actual low mode is a must. 3-5 lumens, 10-20 hours. $20-30, do it Fenix.

swxb12 said:

I would love for Fenix to come out with an E0 replacement. Maybe same metal and finish as the new T1 series for serious toughness? An actual low mode is a must. 3-5 lumens, 10-20 hours. $20-30, do it Fenix.

Click to expand...

Ummm, that current E0 does that. 5.5 lumens for 11 hours of regulation, then 9 more hours of moon mode. The natural finish is very tough. Grab one while you can though, they are being phased out.

zx7dave said:

+1 on the Fenix LOD. It is just what you are wanting...

Click to expand...

The whole time I was reading the OP's post, I was thinking that very thing.

the L0D is an amazing little light.
It is my favorite fenix actually.
A fantastic drop in replacment for the ARC AAA any day.

The ARC is certainly heavy duty mine has been on the old keychain for YEARS. The problem is the Beam sucks with it's purple/bluish beam.
It would be nice if ARC would replace their emitter with one which produces a decent color of light.
In the mean time we have the L0D.
Yaesumofo

if you want throw the cree is probably better but i think the ssc still provides good throw as well as flood.

if you want throw i think you better buy a AA size light because the head is bigger.

2xTrinity said:

Look into the liteflux LF2. It's a fully programmable two-stage light that can go as low as a fraction of a lumen on the lowest level if you so desire. The interface is a bit complicated if you wish to use every feature (strobes, SOS, voltmeter), but once it's programmed, it's actually very elegant as a two-stage. Head tightened for OFF (can't be "pressed on" inadvertently), loosened 1/4 turn for stage1, 1/2 turn for stage2. No visible flickering due to 8000Hz PWM, vs 100 for most AAA sized lights.

If you want even higher output, the light is designed to run 10440s fully regulated, with low-battery warning, and low-voltage protection.

The biggest drawback is that the light is on the long side for a AAA light, slightly longer than the lights you mentioned. Also, the Cree version (better beam pattern IMO, SSC is all flood) is still shipping P4s (though the head is removable, and it is possible to upgrade to a Q5 yourself if you're skilled with modding), and it's a bit long for a AAA light as the two-stage switch mechanism takes up a good bit of space. There is an SSC version, but it is almost completely a flood light, IMO the LF2-Cree beam pattern is better.

Click to expand...

Well, I might get a bit razzed for this suggestion, but I was looking for something similar to what Anarchocap described and ended up getting the new Lumapower Avenger, which I just put on my keychain today.

It's replacing my trusted, but seriously dim old friend... a Mag Solitaire, which was on there for about 15 years:


I just did a ceiling bounce test comparing it to my NovaTac 120P, and running a Sanyo Eneloop NiMh cell I was getting 30 lumens on high and 5 lumens on low.

With an AW 10440 lithium-ion cell I got closer to 75 lumens on high, and 20 lumens on low.

It's got a beautiful beam (warm tint, a bit floody but with enough of a hot spot for a useful amount of throw), excellent HAIII finish, and it comes with all the accessories needed to convert it from a clicky tail switch to a much shorter twisty.

Yes, I did have to replace the original negative contact post in the clicky switch with the longer post to get it to operate with all the different cells (which I did even though I ended up using the shorter twisty for my keychain)..... and yes, I had to remove the little rubber bumper at the positive end to allow it to change levels correctly (still no battery rattle) ..... but that took all of 15 minutes.... and everything needed to do it was supplied with the light...... and it's been working flawlessly for the past week, with lots of heavy use and testing.

So, it may not be for everybody, but it does fit Anarchocap's criteria to a T, so I feel it should at least be mentioned.

Gunner12 said:

The Liteflux LF2 seems to be the light you are looking for. Program it to have a good high and a low low and it come pretty close to the light you were describing.

Click to expand...

Are there any dealers that carry Liteflux? Or do you have to order direct from China or wherever?

LED_Cool sells them in the marketplace http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=169290 though he's based in Malaysia.

it already exists in miller mods ARC AAA w/two stage cree
but it's really a custom vs production light

ARC AAA's form factor combined with state of the art emitter and rugged two stage switch. runs on std AAA alk and nmh cells. no AAA sized li-ion needed or desired.

low gives a 10+ hours runtime. mine on high throws out aprox. 25 lumens or just perfect for me. but I spec'd my high beam at lower drive currents.

sure wish ARC would put this design into production. it's a winner!

Anarchocap said:

Is it too hard to ask to get a production AAA light in an Arc AAA or Fenix E0 sized form factor with a high quality HA-III finish that has two and only two modes?! High = 30 lumens and low = 3 lumens.

Can I be the only one that wants to buy something like this? I think I've only been asking for it for like 18 months. The only thing that comes close is the Fenix LOP-SE and they don't even make it anymore. With a Rebel or a Cree, we should be seeing a light that runs for an hour on high and ten on low.

Click to expand...

+1 for Liteflux LF2.. a fantastic AAA light. Can program it to really low.

Derek Dean said:

Well, I might get a bit razzed for this suggestion, but I was looking for something similar to what Anarchocap described and ended up getting the new Lumapower Avenger, which I just put on my keychain today.

Click to expand...

I must admit that I have been intrigued by this light, but have hesitated so far because of the stated issues/problems. Won't Lumapower be fixing these issues?

Another vote for a Liteflux2.
You can set it however you want. Although it has more modes than even I know what to do with, you don't have to access them ever if you don't want to. LEDcool is the distributor here in CPF for them. Look him up at CPFM. You can also probably order them from the manufacturer in Taiwan.

zx7dave said:

+1 on the Fenix LOD. It is just what you are wanting...

Click to expand...

Well, my reading is that he asked for a light with two modes. The L0D has five modes, i.e. the L0D only does what he is asking if 5 and 2 are the same number, which they aren't. At any rate, I have an L0D and I still want what he wants. The L0D does not fulfill the desire, at least for me.

I agree with the LF2. Set it the way you want and forget about any modes you don't want to use.